1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer with a device for cutting recording media, such as photosensitive recording paper and the like having an image and the like printed. More specifically, it relates to a printer with a cutting device for cutting recording media accurately and securely for continuously cutting a plurality of the recording media accurately and securely.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A prior printer makes exposure on a photosensitive recording sheet before pressing it to develop, thereby forming an image on a surface of the photosensitive recording sheet. As an example, Japanese Patent Application Publication 2000-147678(A) discloses a recording apparatus as a printer such that: a photosensitive recording sheet called the Cycolor media is used that is formed of lamination of microcapsules filled with either one of coloring materials of cyan, magenta, and yellow each; the photosensitive recording sheet has a light of desired wavelength irradiated to a surface thereof to expose a color image; in other words, the surface is made to react to a light of specific wavelength to cure a sensitive material filled in the microcapsule together with the coloring material; the curing makes coloring reaction of the coloring material inactive; after that, a high pressure is applied to the active microcapsule without reacting to the light of specific wavelength to destroy for development (coloring), thereby forming the color image.
The prior printer mentioned above has an advantage that a running cost for printing can be kept low as consumable materials such as toner and ink or ink ribbon are not needed except for the above-mentioned Cycolor medium only for forming, or printing, the color image. The above-mentioned Cycolor mediun is on the market in the form of a blank cut sheet, such as a rectangular form, before the printing processes (exposing and pressure-developing processes). In the cutting process to the blank form, the Cycolor medium has an undesired force applied to four edges thereof. The four edges result in destruction of the microcapsules of non-unactiviated (active) state having the coloring materials filled therein. It is disadvantageous that the four edges cannot be developed to desired colors, but become black or undesirable results.
To overcome the problem, Japanese Patent Application Publication Hei 10-62871(A) discloses a technique that prior to the above-mentioned cutting step, the four edges of the Cycolor medium are pre-exposed to white and, the microcapsules existing on the edges are made inactive as a white frame to prevent the white edges from becoming black even if after that, a pressure is applied to the edges at the cutting step for a standard form.
However, the above-mentioned processing made on the recording mediu, results in increased cost of the medium as consumable item, or unavoidably increased running cost in the printing process with use of the medium.
On the other hand, the printer having such a medium used is useful as a photo-printer. The photosensitive recording paper having a color image formed, like the photograph having usual negative film used, has been needed to have the image formed on the entire surface without four edges in finish.
Various prior art methods for cutting the recording media have been disclosed and put to practical use. Japanese Patent Application Publication Hei 11-202418(A), as an example, discloses a structure having a cutter unit made up of a horizontal cutter and a vertical cutter, the horizontal cutter being for cutting photosensitive material having a plurality of images printed (exposed) to specific lengths depending on lengths of individual prints formed on the photosensitive material and, the vertical cutter being for cutting the photosensitive material having the plurality of wide images printed to specific widths depending on widths of the individual prints, thereby horizontally and vertically cutting the photosensitive material for the plurality of prints. However, the structure unlike the present invention cannot be used to cut the four edges out of the recording medium, but also is not elaborated for accurate and secure cutting the photosensitive material in any way as to posture and holding state of the photosensitive material in cutting the photosensitive material.
An object of the present invention is to provide a printer with a dutting device for cutting recording medium capable of cutting four edges of the recording medium having an image or the like printed accurately and securely.